January 29, 2007

Richmond Hill High School just escaped a bullet from the Human Rights Commission.When the school principal gave the go-ahead for students to apply to set up a gay-straight alliance, student Sean Kaw stopped his appeal to the commission to intervene. Sean went to the commission after being told the application for the gay-straight alliance couldn't be made until next year. The club offers much needed support to gays, while it gives straight students a chance to show they're both comfortable and accepting of homosexuals and want to help look out for everyone's well being. In fact, gay-straight alliances should be set up in every secondary school in the country. The fact some people are still uncomfortable with homosexuality is a clear indication that gay-straight alliances are needed. I attended a small town high school from 1958 to 1962. The gay students were centered out, teased and, at times, bullied. Most of all, the gays were lonely. Alienation does that. A few of us, myself included, made a point to sit with the gay students on the bus, to invite them to join us for lunch and to encourage them to attend school dances. Of course, a few of my peers took issue with our befriending homosexuals. Personally, I made it clear: I wasn't worried about losing them as friends. Instead, I excluded ignorant and mean people from my dance card. Looking back more than four decades, as a heterosexual, I would have welcomed the chance to take part in a gay-straight alliance. It's obvious there's still work to be done. To a certain degree, homophobia in all its ugliness still has a strong-hold on society. Gay kids continue to be centered out, teased and bullied. And they continue to struggle with loneliness.Gay-straight alliances are not only needed in schools, the alliances should be set up at Queen's Park and in the House of Commons. In particular, it might help put a much needed end to the nonsensical conflict over gay marriage. Gays should have the same freedoms and opportunities as all citizens. Under the umbrella of a democratic Canada, equal rights should be availed to all Canadians. If gays want to get married, our only response as a nation should be, "Congratulations." Sean Kaw and the principal of Richmond Hill High School should stand on the same stage and take a bow: well done to both. If your kid comes home and tells you he or she is joining a gay-straight alliance and you offer your support, you too should take a bow. You're a good parent.

January 26, 2007

It use to be the British are coming.Now, it's the Boomers are leaving.In case you haven't heard, the eldest of the baby boom generation are set to reach their 65th year, traditionally retirement age, in 2011. I'm sneaking in a year earlier. Since I was born the day the war ended (Aug. 14, 1945) I've never known whether to call myself a war baby or a boomer. In honour of my birthday, my initials are VJ. My parents, a little reluctant to name me Victoria Japan, settled on Vicky Joan. Yesterday, the federal government asked me to continue working beyond my 65th birthday. Apparently, a sever labour shortage is in the cards. When former U.S. president John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," little did I know, someday, I'd be expected to rally to the call of Canada.Cutting through the government jargon that focused the pending lack of a labour surplus, I translated the message: "Would we baby boomers be so kind as to shelve our retirement plans and work until we drop." The government spin doctor responsible for the labour-shortage alert was likely born around the time I'd been on the job 20 years. When I retire in three years, I'll have worked 47 years. Sorry, Canada. When I turn 65, the jig's up. In its simplest form, a labour shortage exists where there are not enough people to fill needed jobs. Well boo-hoo, Canada. Here's my answer: "Go tell somebody who cares."

January 24, 2007

Is there anyone other than yours truly doing the passport sulk?I know I know, we're living in terrorist times.In the interest of national and neighbourhood security, we have to be extra careful who's coming into and out of Canada and the United States.The passport rule that came into effect this week represents yet another piece of innocence lost. I always appreciated the free-flow partnership between Canada and the U.S. Showing a passport to Canadian and U.S. border guard official just seems unfriendly. I don't like it. It doesn't feel right.There's zap I can do about it. Still, I can file my objection. It isn't in my nature to simply roll over and play dead every time some government comes up with another can't-do rule for me. If you're also doing the passport sulk, let me know. Or, if you think it's A-okay to be forced to spend $85 to get a passport to cross the border, I'd like to hear from you.Happy border crossing to you.

January 19, 2007

If you watched a male wrestler hit a near naked women over the head with a chair 100 times, would you notice or care?You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out most of us would be desensitized following exposure to repeated acts of violence. Of course, violence is everywhere on TV, in music and on the Internet. The answer to how it got there is simple: we let it. Surely, the jury is no longer on this issue. Why on Earth are we still having this debate? We know the answer. We can see it in our youth. There is clear and compelling evidence of the negative impact of violence on our young people. Yesterday, University of Western Ontario professor Peter Jaffe told a Queen's Park news conference we have to ask ourselves where are the warnings on the many forms of violence. "Tiny rating stickers just don't cut it," the professor said. Some are recommending airing violent TV programs later at night when the kids are in bed.Here's a commonplace example of how life has changed:When I was a kid, our family didn't have TV. My kids never had TV in their bedrooms. My grandchildren have TVs in their bedrooms. Since I'm a modern-day, fair minded, keep-the-mouth-shut grandmother, I don't tell my kids how to parent their kids. That includes passing on my opinion about where the grandkids watch TV. I am, however, free to ask you. Should a television be in a child's bedroom?

January 17, 2007

I've been told Aurora doesn't have any drug addicts, litter bugs, musicians, gays, members of the Green Party of Canada or homeless people. If this is true, it must be a very dull town. Newmarket, on the other hand, has it all. While a move was recently on to close down the local crack houses, I hunch a few drug addicts stayed behind. I haven't heard of any attempt to rid Newmarket of musicians, people who pitch garbage every which way, environmentalists, gays or the homeless. In fact, if you're homeless and turn up in Newmarket, you're offered a warm bed.Don't worry. If by some weird fluke, you find yourself homeless in Aurora, head north. That's where you'll be offered a soft place to land for the night. Did you know: If you put Canada's homeless in one town, it would be twice the size of Newmarket? Tonight, 150,000 homeless Canadians will try to find a warm place to sleep. With Ontario's temperature expected to plunge to at least -15C, it will be a cold winter's night. Nobody should be sleeping anywhere outdoors. This is Canada, a cold and affluent country. I fail to understand why we, as a society, look the other way when fellow Canadians sleep on the street. It's unCanadian and it's inhumane. While I rant about it, volunteers at Newmarket's Inn From The Cold shelter are doing something about it. Tonight, between five and eight overnight guests are expected to arrive at the shelter in the basement of Trinity United Church on Main Street. It is, indeed, a comfortable and safe place to enjoy a meal, some company and a sleep. While attending Inn From The Cold's annual open house in late November, I met a few volunteers and a couple of homeless people. We had a coffee and a sweet and talked about the shelter.It's run predominately by volunteers from the end of November to the end of March. It opens at 8 p.m. and closes at 8 a.m., four nights a week. If the temp drops below -15C, the shelter opens regardless of the day. The guests arrive: enjoy a meal, take a shower, are given clothes if needed and a clean warm bed. In the morning, the guests have breakfast, are offered a packed lunch and leave by 8 a.m. The shelter operates on three shifts from 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. Most volunteers cover one five-hour shift once a month.Since Inn From the Cold opens its doors to homeless from anywhere, including Aurora, and Bradford, the number of homeless turning up at the door is on the rise. As the numbers go up, so does the need for volunteers.The homeless are just people. Some are very pleasant, some are exceptionally gifted, some are sick, some are very lonely and some are annoying. The majority, however, are just plain folk once they're warm, fed and welcome. If you're interested in volunteering at Inn From The Cold a few hours once a month, call 905-853-2347.

January 15, 2007

I heard her before I saw her.She was black; she was old; she was sitting alone underneath a tree. And, she was singing. "Freight train, freight train, run so fast. Please don't tell what train I'm on. They won't know what route I'm going."I knew the song was about the historic legacy of the underground railroad which highlighted the Canadian destination of freedom for many African-American slaves.The old banjo-playing women's rendition of Freight Train was haunting. I sat down on the grass and listened.

"When I'm dead and in my grave.No more good times here I cravePlace the stones at my head and feet and tell them all I've gone to sleep

When I die, oh bury me deepDown at the end of old Chestnut StreetSo I can hear old Number NineAs she comes rolling by"

I was the only one to clap. I was the only one there. The old lady placed her banjo down, stretched out her right hand and said, "Hello, my name is Elizabeth Cotton."Shaking her hand, I quickly pointed out she sang the song like she owned it. "I do," was the answer.Elizabeth Cotton wrote both the lyrics and the music to Freight Train while working as a domestic for the son of Charles Seeger, the brilliant musicologist and founder of America's foremost folk music family. The Seeger children were Elizabeth's charges. The kids and the nanny often struck a deal: The children would do the dishes and Elizabeth would sit at the kitchen table and sing. One night, as she often did, Elizabeth reached back into her childhood. She remembered making up a song. She called it Freight Train. While Elizabeth had agreed to perform at the mid 60s Mariposa Folk Festival at Toronto Island, she preferred a tree to a stage. Elizabeth liked a small audience. It was understood. After all, her country had lost its innocence - freedom fighters John F. Kennedy had just died, while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was on what was about to become his last crusade for equality. Meeting the old lady was special. I not only had the undivided attention of an American blues and folk legend, I experienced firsthand an enslaved people's continuous call for freedom. Throughout the years, I kept my eye on Elizabeth. She continued to perform into the 70s and 80s, won many awards, including a Grammy, while she often brought her music to folk festivals throughout North America. In keeping with her style, Elizabeth would find a tree. Elizabeth Cotton died in 1987. She was 92. I often think of Elizabeth and, on occasion, I find myself humming Freight Train. I thought of her today when Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees send a reminder that today marks the 78th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Martin's Day is being celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world, Mr. Klees stressed. Of course, the celebration commemorates Dr. King's work and legacy in support of the movement inspired by his life and death. Along with the likes of Ms Cotton and Mr. Kennedy, Dr. King promoted inter-racial harmony based on the principles of human rights, equality and freedom.

P.S.Some people are simply destined to live on freedom's path — Elizabeth Cotton's Freight Train acknowledges the slaves fleeing to Canada. She worked for Charles Seeger whose brother, Alan Seeger, authored I Have A Rendezvous with Death, which was John F. Kennedy's favorite poem.I join Mr. Klees in reminding everyone today is a day for Canadians to reflect on the richness of our multicultural society. I'll include Elizabeth Cotton in my remembering.

January 12, 2007

Extra. Extra. Read all about it.Aurora resident Kam Sadiq is not only not running for the provincial Liberals in the fall election, he's not running in Newmarket-Aurora. In case you're wondering, neither am I. Kam might, however, run for some other political party and he might run somewhere other than in his home riding. Acting on direction from an editor, I called Kam, introduced myself and, in my very best voice, asked if he was seeking the Liberal nomination in Newmarket-Aurora. Here's the rationale behind calling Kam - In readiness for the Oct. 4 election, the local Conservatives have MPP Frank Klees in place, nobody much cares about the New Democrats in York Region and it was a slow news day. I agreed to attempt to justify Friday's paycheque and pin down some local news. Kam was not happy with my call. "Why are you calling me and who told you to call me?," he asked.Still using my very best voice, I did the big explain once more. Kam then embarked on an interesting story. Apparently, I was invited to some event at his house on Dec. 21, but failed to attend.I had no idea what he was referring to so I simply asked what the event was about.Kam didn't hesitate to tell me where to go: If I wanted to know the details of the event, I could read about it in another newspaper, he said.Ignoring the suggestion, complete with the sarcasim, I asked who attended the event."The mayor and a few councillors and some other people," Kam answered. So here's what I had:Some event I failed to attend was held four days before Christmas in a private home in Aurora. Hosted by a guy who doesn't like the Liberals and who might or might try to be elected as an MPP somewhere other than Newmarket-Aurora. It attracted some mayor, a few councillors and some mysterious others.After a little more prodding, Kam reluctantly told me John Tory came to the event.When some guy scores a big fish like the leader of the provincial Conservatives, I gotta know more. "Since John Tory came to your house, does this mean you're interested in running for the Conservatives in the October election?" I asked in my very best voice. Here's Kam's answer."I didn't make any announcements at the event. I will make an announcement when I'm ready."It didn't take me long to get the take-a-hike message. I don't know why Kam doesn't like me.During the interview, I was careful to always use my very best voice. Besides, I'm a nice lady. And, since nobody else is paying my way in life, I need a job. I'm aware that I'm free to quit a 30-year media career and leave Kam alone. There are stumbling blocks: I don't know how to juggle or play the banjo and, let's face it: I'm too old, too tired and too picky to become a lady of the night. Kam, Suggesting you might run for the Liberals in Newmarket-Aurora isn't off base. You live in the local riding; the Liberal Party of Ontario is a legally registered political party and the last time I did a government check, the Grits were in power. And, Kam, you did run on a Liberal ticket in a previous election. Actually, Kam has a history as a political candidate on two fronts: Not only was he a defeated Liberal in a Toronto riding in the 1995 provincial election, he failed to get elected to Aurora council in November. Still, Kam came to the provincial and municipal races with credibility: in his 60s, he's a retired accountant after working many years for Revenue Canada. A community minded individual, Kam founded the Multicultural Society of Pakistanian Canadians 24 years ago.This is a puzzle. If anyone knows why Kam doesn't like me and/or the Liberals, share it with us through this blog.

January 09, 2007

Surveillance cameras give me the heebie-jeebies.No doubt it's an attitude carry-over from my hippie days, but I don't like being watched. When Big Brother peers over my shoulder, it weakens my personal freedom and messes with democracy. Toronto merchants do not share my view point.When watchful electronic eyes in downtown Toronto came down yesterday, merchants fueled a plan to bring the cameras back.Merchants not only want the street cameras returned, they're offering to put up $150,000 to get a one-year surveillance program launched. Apparently, the business community feels safer if I'm being watched. Even Premier Dalton McGuinty is weighing into the issue, telling the media he enjoyed Christmas shopping on Yonge Street under the electronic eye.Mr. McGuinty seems to have forgotten he's not a real person. He's the premier. He lives in a fish bowl. His every move is watched. I have no objection to surveillance cameras being used in stores. Private property owners have the right to watch me since I'm on their turf. However, when I'm on a public street, I'm running the show. I'm simply not willing to look the other way when I'm being watched.

January 08, 2007

Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees doesn't hide.When I asked the four MPPs in York Region to justify their recent pay hike, the only one to answer was Mr. Klees. I wasn't surprised — Frank is good at his job. He answers the hard questions on time and in full. Even though Frank sits on the far right and I straddle the centre and lean to the left, I respect him a great deal.When Frank is re-elected in Newmarket-Aurora for the Conservatives in the fall provincial election, I'll be the first to congratulate him. Here is his response to the questions asked in my last blog.

Dear Joan,I read with interest you letter and am pleased to respond to your two specific questions:1) Can't you live on $90,000.00 ? The answer is quite simply "no". In fact, as my disclosures to the Integrity Commissioner have indicated since my election in 1995, I have had income from personal investmets that allowed me the financial freedom to run for office then, and to continue to serve in public office since.I invested 25 years in business before committing myself to public service. Over that time, I was fortunate to be able to afford my family a standard of living commensurate with the rewards that hard work and investment risks afforded us. And I do not for one moment believe that it should be expected that to commit to public service requires one to uproot family from their home, or to give up their standard of living which has been afforded them over the years. Families of those in public service make considerable spersonal sacrifices and I believe it would be irresponsible to ask them take on additional economic adjustments .Having said that, the legislative salary was not a factor when I decided to run for affice and it has nothing to do with my candidacy in the next election.

2) Could you live on $16,000.00 ? No. I did at one time, and do know what it is to work for minimum wage, having done so in my first jobs. I have also experienced the challenges of not knowing where the next rent payment will come from, and I know what it is to work two and three jobs to make ends meet. That is the very reason I believe it is imperative that public policy encourages an economic environment that attracts business investment that in turn creates the jobs that will allow individuals and families to reach personal and financial security. Competetiveness with bordering and international jurisdictions on issues such as corporate and personal taxes and minimum wage standards are all factors that determine where businesses invest and locate. It is for that reason that I will continue to work on behalf of my constituents to ensure that a wide variety of job opportunities are available for all.

January 05, 2007

Here's my latest letter to York Region's MPPs Dear Julia Munro, Frank Klees, Mario Racco and Greg Sorbara, I've noticed the Ontario government recently got a little stuck on the number 25. As an Ontario MPP, you gave yourself a 25-per-cent pay raise for Christmas and then added 25 cents to the province's minimum hourly wage.As of Feb. 1, Ontario's minimum hourly wage goes from the current $7.75 to $8.The 25-cent add-on translates into a 3.2-per-cent pay hike for the working poor. I did the math: you'll make an extra $30,000 this year, while minimum wage earners will score an additional $500. I know, I know: traditionally, the moment anyone suggests increasing the minimum wage, the business community goes into its "hard times" mode, warning the government any serious move to improve the quality of life for the working poor would simply send Ontario business straight to the poor house. The government listens to business. It always does. It's a tradition.I'm aware business would throw itself out the 27th-floor window if the province authorized a 25-per-cent hike to Ontario's minimum wage.If the thought of a 25-per-cent raise would trigger suicidal tendencies in one group, why not in all groups? Why didn't you restrict your salary hike to 3.2 per cent? If it's good enough for the working poor, why isn't it good enough for you? How would we, as a society, make out without the people who serve us our fast food, clean our offices, wash our hair, pump our gas and serve us in convenience stores and other retail outlets. They're our minimum wage earners and they represent about 5 per cent of Ontario's workforce. I'd wager you couldn't make it to Queen's Park without at least one of them serving you on the way. Incidentally, my company also uses the number 25 to establish my annual salary hike. I got a 2.5-per cent salary increase in 2006 and am anticipating the same this year. As it is, your base salary as an MPP went from $88,771 to $110,775, while the annual pay for a minimum wage earner goes from $15,500 to $16,000. Here are my last two questions. 1/ Can't you live on $90,000?2/ Could you live on $16,000? Love, your friend JoanP.S. You can send your answers via this blog

JOAN RANSBERRY

Veteran reporter Joan Ransberry has seen and heard it all in the many years of covering municipal, regional, provincial and federal politics. Not afraid to blow the whistle, poke fun or venture where others won't go, her blog takes a peek at the human, the stupid and goofy side of government.

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